Kanika Kapoor case: Wrong FIR with factual errors lodged in haste, CMO's claim questioned

Lucknow, March 21 (IANS): The Lucknow district administration came under fire after police lodged a wrong FIR in haste against Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor following a complaint by the state's Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

An FIR was lodged against Kapoor at Sarojini Nagar police station on Friday for alleged negligence in compliance of necessary directives to safeguard against the spread of deadly coronavirus disease post her return from London earlier this month.

However, soon after the omission was revealed, Lucknow Commissioner of Police, Sujeet Pandey said that during further investigation, the factual errors in the FIR have been corrected.

As per the FIR, the CMO claimed that Kapoor had returned to Lucknow from London on March 14. The same day she tested positive for coronavirus at the airport and was asked to go for home quarantine.

But despite that, she freely attended parties and mingled with a large number of people. However, people of the city later came down heavily on the administration and counterclaimed that the singer had returned on March 11.

The copy of the FIR, which was accessed by the media, poses a big question. If Kapoor was found positive for the virus on March 14, then why was it revealed on March 20?

However, Pandey said in a statement issued to the media that Kapoor had returned from London on March 14 and not on March 11.

Airport sources have said that there may be a facility for thermal screening, but there is no corona screening facility at the airport.

In such a situation, the CMO's claim reveals whether the state government is really serious about dealing with the deadly epidemic?